Load handling mechanism



Dec. 3, 1940. J. w wu sc 2,223,863

' LOAD HANDLING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 23, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Jas gplz MA/urzsch M ll,

ATTORNEY v Dec. 3, 1940. J. w. WUNSCH LOAD HANDLING MECHANISM a Sheets-She et 2 Filed Jan. 28, 1939 m S. fl w m E mw m n w 0 Dw3, 1940- J. w. WUNSCH LOAD HANDLING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 28, 1939 B'ShGGtS-ShBBt 3 INVENTO Jag M MA/zmsd M 4' ATTOR 3, 1940. J. w. WUNSCH LOAD HANDLING MECHANISM 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 28, 1939 INVENTOR Jose vb hlh/zmsc BY I KM ak ATTORNEY Filed Jan. 28, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 w ll INVENTOR Jose viz Illa tinsel:

BY I I M 4&1;

A I TORNFY .llllllll.

' 3, 1940. J. w. wuNscH LOAD HANDLING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 28, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 z T- I lllllr ll l|.

INVENTOR (/bse vk M/Yimsc/z BY M a! ATTORNEY Dec. 3, 1940. I J w WUN 2,223,863

. LOAD HANDLING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 28, 1939 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR Jaggplz [1/ Mme/z M 1. QA

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 3,

UNITED-- S TES [PATENT OFFICE azzaaca LOAD mime MECHANISM Joseph w. Wunsch, Brooklyn. N. Y.

Application January as, 1939, Serial No. 253,405

' 11 Claims. '(01. 212-38) This invention relates to 'load handling mechanism in general and in particular to such mechanism when mounted on wheels and readily movable together with the load.

I In the past equipment-for handling material by means of a transporting vehicle equipped with hoist means have been provided but such equipment has been in the main objectionable due to the tendency when loaded for the drive wheels to become light, thus decreasing traction. It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to providea power driven vehicle having the front wheels thereof driven and carrying thereabove a hoist or other lifting device. A further object of the invention is the provi sion-of a power driven hoist-or load lifting vehicle having the front wheels driven and the rear wheels controlled by steering apparatus.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a, power driven vehicle equipped with hoist or other lifting means and with power takeoff and control devices whereby the hoist device may be completely power controlled at all times.

A yet further object of the invention is the provision of a power driven vehicle having'hoist or other lifting device carried thereby and power controlled together with safety devices to prevent dangerous movements of the hoist device.

These and other objects of the invention will I be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings,-in which: Figure l is a perspective view of the improved vehicle in operation; V

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly ,in section, of the vehicle with parts broken away to more clearly disclose the drive and steering mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the improved gear and control mechanism for controlling the hoist movements; 1

\ Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the mechanism shown inFig. 3 with'portions' thereof broken away to more clearly disclose 'the pivot mounting of 5 the hoist;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the power mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 4; Fig. 6 is asectional view showing the interior construction of the power mechanism disclosed in Figs.3to

' Fig.- 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing the steering mechanism for the rear wheels of the vehicle;

4 Fig. 8 isja sectionaiview taken substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. I;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 8-9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is an elevational view disclosing the con trols available to the operator;v

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken substantially 5 on line |l-ll of Fig. 10 and showing the foot control, and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken substantially on line I l-ll of Fig. 10 but looking in the oppositedirection to the hand control levers. 10

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, in which similar characters of reference in-.' dicate similar parts in the several views, it can be seen that the hoist and control equipment has been applied to a vehicle having a frame compris- 1 log longitudinally extending side frame members I which, in the instance shown, are channel shaped in cross section. The beam l are connected together by suitable transverse members,

hereinafter described, to form a rigid frame. 20 Stationary axles 2 are provided at the forward end of the frame which are supported by rotatable driving wheels 3 having driving sprockets 4. The-rear end portion of the frame is supported by steering wheels 6 mounted respectively on op- 2i! posite end portions of an axle I (see Figure '7). Asshown clearly in Fig. 'I the steering wheels 6. are close coupled and the axle I has connected thereto the lower portion 1' of a king pin K, the upper portion 8' of which is connected with the 30 lower portion I by a pin 9' and a bolt ll. As clearly shown in Fig. 7, the upper portion of king pin element 1' isformed substantially as a socket into which the lower end of the upper portion 8 of king pin K extends, and also as clearly shown 3;

in Fig. 7 the lower end of portion I of king pin K is convexed as shown at I I whereby to permit movement of.wheels 6 and portion I of king pin K in accordance with irregularities in the road surface.

. 40 The king pin .K has its upper end portion 8 formed as a truii'nion in order to-support the frame through spaced thrust bearings 9 attached to transverse members ll, channel shaped in cross section as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7;

ventional main clutch l2 to speed change gearing l3 which, in turn, is connected through uni:

versal joint M to a bevel gear 5 meshing witha ring gear l'l differentially connected to shafts '18 from which chains l9 extend to individually drive the front wheels. The differential shafts I8 are provided with brake drums .2l adapted to be engaged by main vehicle brakes 22 operable bya foot lever VB mounted in a suitable position in front of the operator. The clutch [2 will' tical shaft 24 to bevel gearing 26 and shaft 21 extending longitudinally of the vehicle. This longitudinally extending shaft is shown as connected by means of chain 28 to a worm 29,- journaled in a bearing member attached to the frame cross braces II. The worm, in turn, meshes with trunnion 8, previously referred to, thus, permitting positive rotation of the trunnion by means of the hand wheel available to the operator. The

front ends are connected together by a suitable. cross tie 36, adjacent the center of which is mounted a bracket casting 31 equipped with thrust bearings for reception of the lower end of pivot post or mast 38, the upper end of which has bearing in a casting 39 carried by a framework 4l attached to the front end of the vehicle frame and extending upwardly therefrom. The pivot post is provided on its upper end with a housing 42 carrying pulleys 43 and pulley frame 44, by. means of which cable 46 may extend to and control the movements of the pulley block 49 adapted to raise the load W (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) The lower end of. the boom is pivoted as at 49 to and supported by a projection formed on a worm sector 5! rigidly attached tothe pivot post 38.

A plurality of intermediate ties 52, preferably of channel form, connect the vehicle side frames intermediate thefront and rear ends thereof and form a supportfor gearing and hoist equipment adapted to receive power through chain or other means 53 frompowe'r take-off shaft 54 driven by gearing 56 from the main drive shaft. The chain or other drive means "meshes with and drives sprocket 51 (Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive) keyed or otherwise rigidly attached to shaft 58. This shaft is rotatably mounted in the gearbox and car-.

ries centrally thereof splines upon which are slidably mounted a toothed clutch 59 shiftable on shaft 58 by connections 6| connected in any suitable manner with lever LC (Fig. 12). Botatably design.

carried on the shaft. in meshing relation with gear 9| carried on a a worm wheel sector 3| fastened to the vertical aaaascs 69; the automatic brake being of conventional Shaft 61 also carries a worm 6l' arranged in meshing relation with worm wheel ll fixed on a shaft H journaled in the gear box and carrying load hoist drum L. It is apparent that the clutch 59 may be shifted on shaft 56 by lever LCwhich operates connection 61 so that said clutch will engage either spur gear 62 or sprocket 63, as desired. The sprocket 51, previously referred to,-is of double construction with one portion connected by means of a chain or other device l2 with a sprocket l3 keyed to a shaft 14 rotatably journaled in a gearbox L and extended therebeyond and connected by flexible coupling 14' with a shaft 16 rotatably mounted in a gear box L" carried by the transverse frame members 52. The shaft 14 is splined in its central portion to -clutch 1'! adapted to vbe engaged with spur gear 19 or sprocket I9 rotatably Spur gear 18 is arranged shaft 83 journaled in gear box L while sprocket l9 is c'onnected with a sprocket 82 by drive chain 82'. Like shaft 61, shaft 83 extends beyond gear box L and is provided with a conventional automatic brakeincluding elements 84 and 86. Clutch I1 is shiftable on shaft 14 by lever BB which is connected inany suitable manner with lever mechanism 81. Shaft 83 carries a worm 83' arranged in meshing relation with worm wheel 88 secured to a shaft 88' lournale'd in gear box L and extended therebeyond to carry a boom hoist drum B. The shaft 16, previously referred to, is rotatably mounted in its gear box and provided at its central portion with splines along which a friction clutch coupling 89 may slide into with spur gear 93 and sprocket 94 non-rotatably carried by a shaft 96 journaled in the gear box L"; the sprocket 92 being connected with sprocket 94 by drive chain 94'. Formed on shaft 96 is a worm 96 arranged in meshing relation with worm gear 85 carried on shaft 90, which latter has one end portion journaled in gear box L" arranged adjacent gear box L and adjacent one frame member I, and said shaft is arranged substantially parallel to shafts 'II' and 88' and has'its opposite end portion supported and journaled in a bearing box 95' supported by transverse members 36 and 52 adjacent the opposite frame member I (see Fig. 3). Shaft 90 carries a worm 95 arranged in meshing relation with sector 5|, as also shown in Fig. 3. The sliding friction. clutch coupling is controlled through suitable connections 91 by hand lever SC (Fig. 12).

It will be obvious from the preceding description that power obtained from the power take-oft will continuously rotate shafts 58, 16 and 14 respectively and that these shafts may be clutched through 'proper operation of levers LC,'BB and SC -connected respectively with clutch operators 61', 81 and 9'! to cause forward or reverse operation of worm shafts 61, 83 and 96 respectively. Since there is no interconnection, it is obvious that each clutch may be operated wholly independently of the other and to any desiredposition irrespective of the position of any other clutch, or they may all be operated simultaneous-,

ly if desired, thus giving an extremely flexible control of the hoist. Load hoist cable is con-- nected with load hoistdrum L and extends under idler pulleys 98- (see Fig. 2) -and over pulley 43 pulley 43'. The free ehd' of cable is connected to the boom, as is usual. I

The boom cable is indicated at ll and has one end connected to drum B. Cable 41' extends under pulleys 88 and over pulley 43 and pulley 48 on the boom 41 and has its opposite end connected with bridle I! pivoted to housing 42. In the instance shownpcables 40 and 41' extend through post 3| but this is merely by way of ex-'= ample as obviously they may be arranged outside the post 38 if desired. It will thus be seen that by proper operation of the clutches the load may be raised and lowered, the boom angle changed or the boom rotated independently.

As is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 10,11 and 12 the various control levers and foot pedals are conveniently mounted on cross member's-adjacent tached hoist equipment. Since there "are a large number of controls for the operator and since there is always a-possibility that-such controls may be operated in a manner detrimental to the machine, various safety devices now to be described have been provided to protect the machine.

In order to protect the mechanism controlling the swinging of the boom, stops ill (Figs. (hand 4) have been attached; to the pivot post slightly oil center andthese stops are adapted to engage the upper end of a lever ll! pivoted as at I03 to the vehicle frame and extended therebelow for connection to a rod I", which in turn is connected toa lever III operatively connected with the friction clutch controlling means 91. By placing the stops of! center on the pivot post, the pivot post is permitted to rotate slightly more than 180 degrees, with it's rotation in either direction checked when the stop strikes the lever and through the connections disengages the fric: tion clutch 89. The release of the friction clutch by means of the safety stops and lever will; not prevent the-operator from engaging the clutch to cause rotation of the gearing in the opposite direction but will, of course, prevent his engaging the clutch in such a manner as to damage the gearing. Thus it will be seen that if the operator I, should neglect to disengage the clutch controlling swinging of the boom, the safety stops will automatically disengage the clutch and prevent injury to the gearing or, on the other hand, if the operator is desirous of swinging the, boom to one of its limit positions; it is only necessary for him to engage the clutch; after which the equipment ,cent its pivoted end portion (see Figs. 2 and 4) which is adapted to engage a stud Ill projecting through the boom swinger sector it and having 7 its lower end bearing on a plate Ill suitably hinged to the vehicle frameand having a depending projection lll'-'connected through link I09 with one arm of a bell crank lever ll], suitis being carried;

' following claims:

equipment is as follows and assuming the engine to be running: Engagement of the main clutch MC, after proper operation of the drive gearing, will cause the engine to drive the front wheels through the diiferential shafts and sprocket connections; thus propelling the vehicle either forward or backward as desired. By turning the steering wheel the angular movements of the vehicle may be controlled through the connections rotation of worm shaft 61 andload hoist drum L, thus either raising or lowering a load as desired. The load may be held in any desired position by the automatic brake asis usual.

In case the operator for some reason desires to shift the vertical angular position-of the boom,. relative to the vehicle, this may be accomplished by proper operation of the lever BB, thus causing the toothed clutch 11 to engage with the proper element, with the result that the worm shaft 83 will be rotated and in turn rotate the boom hoist drum B. If the operator for any. reason should set the mechanism in operation to lift the boom and neglect to stop its operation, then the contactor I08 will, through stud I06, projection I08 and the bell crank and other connections cause the toothed coupling 11 to be released preventing damage to the gearing.

When the operator desires to swing the boom about the boom pivot or, in other. words, to change the horizontal angular position of the boom relative to the vehicle, he may do so by a proper shifting of the lever SC causing through connection 91 proper movement of friction clutch 89,

thus-resulting in the desired rotation of worm shaft 96, sector 5| and pivot post 38. In case the operator should neglect to stop operation of the boom swinging mechanism by return of the lever SC to neutral position, then one of the stops lot will engage lever I02 and through the connections will cause clutch 89 to be disengaged after the boom has swung to its extreme posi-- tion at either side of the vehicle.

It will thus be seen that the operator has at his 'control an extremely flexible unit driven from a single power source, with each possible movement of the hoist and vehicle independently controllable and with certain offthe, functions a time. Attention is also particularly directed to the fact that the boom is mounted adjacent the driving wheels with the engine and operator remote therefrom, which will cause added weight to be applied to the driving wheels when a load the weight on the steering wheels, allowing the operator to more easilysteer the vehicle when a load is being carried.

While the invention has been described more or less in detail, it is obvious that numerous modifications and rearrangements of parts will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of the preceding description, together with the accompanying drawings and all such modifications and rearrangements of parts are con- This adding of weight to the v driving wheels will, of course, increase the trac-. tion thereof and will at the same time decrease templated as will fall within the scope of the 7 pivot post rotatably carried by said frame ad-. jacent said front wheels, a boom and hoisting tackle operatively connected to said pivot post,

10 means to rotate said pivot post and boom, re-

versing driving connections between said means and prime mover and including a clutch, manually operable means to move said clutch into an operative or inoperative position irrespective of 15 the condition of the connection between the prime mover and the front drive wheels, and means automatically operable to. move said clutch to an inoperative position limiting the rotation of said pivot post.

20 2. In a load handling vehicle, the combination of a frame, front and .rear wheels supporting said frame, a prime mover mounted on said frame and connectable with said front wheels to propel the vehicle; a substantially vertically ex- 25 tending pivot post rotatably carried by said,

frame, a boom and hoisting tackle operatively connected to said pivot post, means to rotate said pivot post and boom, reversing driving connections between said means and prime mover and 30 including a clutch, manually operable means to move said clutch into an operative or inoperative position irrespective ofthe condition of the connection between the prime mover and the front drive wheels, and means automatically 35 operable to move said clutch to an inoperative position limiting the rotation of said pivot post,

said last named means including stop lugs on.

said post engageable with a lever on said frame connected to said clutch- 40 3. In a load handling vehicle, the combination of a frame, front and rear wheels supporting said frame, a prime mover mounted on said frame and connectable with said front wheels to propel the vehicle, a substantially vertically extending 45 pivot post rotatably carried by said frame, a boom pivotally connected to said pivot post at an angle thereto, means for modifying the angular relation between said boom and pivot post, driving connections including clutches between 50 said means and prime mover, manually operable means for rendering said connections operative or inoperative, and means automatically operable to render said connections inoperative after a predetermined angular relation between said 55 boom and pivot post has been reached.

4. In a load handling vehicle, the combination of a frame, driving wheels supporting the front end of said frameysteering wheels supporting the rear end of said frame, a prime mover car- 60 ried by said frame adjacent said steering wheels and connectable at all times to said driving wheels, hoist means carried by said frame adjacent .the front end thereof and substantially above the axis of the driving wheels, a plurality of independently controllable means for operating said hoist means irrespective of the condition of the .driving connection between the frontwheels and prime mover, and driving connections end of said frame, steering wheels. at the rear end of said frame, power means arranged adjacent the steering wheels, transmission and clutch means operably connecting said power means, anddriving wheels, a rotatable post and 5 swinging boom mounted above and adjacent said driving wheels, a power take-off from said power means, --independent drive connections including clutches connected to said power take-off for operating said rotatable post and swingin boom, independent manually actuated means for actuating said clutches, and automatic means for actuating said clutches operated bythe movement of said post and boom.

. 6. In a load handling vehicle, the combination of a frame, driving wheels supporting the front end of said frame, steering wheels supporting the rear end of said frame, a prime mover carried by said frame adjacent said steering. wheels and having a driving connection with the driving wheels, hoist means including a mast and boom mounted adjacent the driving wheels, a bearing support for the lower end of said mast, a bearing support for the upper end of said mast, a superstructure extending upwardly from' the vehicle frame for supporting said upper bearing, said super-structure including rearwardly extending spaced members, a power take-off from said prime mover, a plurality of driven elements for transmitting power from said take-off to said mast and boom 'and means for independently controlling said driven elements. I

7. In a load handlingvehicle, thecombination of an elongated frame, driving wheels supporting the front end of the frame, steering wheels at the rear end of the frame mounted for movement about a centrally positioned vertical" axis, said axis being of sectional formation and the sections thereof being movable .to permit movement of the steering wheels in vertical parallel planes, 40 a primemover carried by the frame and arranged adjacent said steering wheels, said prime mover having driving connection with said driving wheels, hoist means including a mast and boom mounted adjacent the driving wheels, 9, plurality of operating means connecting said 'mast-and boom with said prime mover whereby said boom may be selectively elevated or swung on its mast, a super-structure for retaining the mast in its vertical position, said super-structure forming a partial housing for the operating means connecting said prime mover and mast and boom, and automatic means for disconnecting the operating means connecting the prime mover and the mast and boom upon movement manually and independently actuated.

9. The substance of claim 7' characterized in that the operating means connecting theprime mover and mast and boom may be independent- 1y; manually and automatically actuated.

10. In a load handling vehicle, the combination of an elongated frame having driven front wheels and rear steering wheels, a prime mover supported by the frame adjacent the steering wheels and having a driving connection with the front driving wheels, control means including clutches between the prime mover and the mast and boom for selectively moving the latter to predetermined positions irrespective of the condition of the driving connection between the prime mover and driving wheels, manually movable 76 means for selectively operating said clutches, a hand wheel for controlling the steering wheels.

the 'control for said clutches and said steering means extending above the prime mover, and a control platform supported above the prime mover and being so constructed and arranged as.

tion of a frame, driving wheels supported at the front end of said frame, steering wheels at the rear end of said frame, power means arranged adjacent the steering wheels, drive connections operably connecting said power means and driving wheels, a rotatable post and swinging boom mounted above and adjacent said driving whee1's,

independent drive connections connecting said 5 power means and rotatable I post and swinging boom for operating the same, independent manually actuated means for controlling said independent drive connections, and automatic means for controlling said independent drive connections and operated by the movement of said post and boom.

l g JOSEPH W. WUNSCH. 

